Webinar: Best Practices to Succeed with LinkedIn Sponsored Content 2. #LinkedInContent
Deanna Lazzaroni
Global Content & Social Media
Marketing Manager
LinkedIn
Dial-in: 866-469-3239
Access Code: 926 370 258
Password: areyouin
Twitter: @LinkedInMktg
#LinkedInContent
Selin Tyler
Sr. Product Marketing
Manager
LinkedIn
Welcome!
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
3. #LinkedInContent
Agenda Today
Why Content Marketing Matters
Overview of Sponsored Updates
Aligning to Marketing Objectives
Branding & Lead Gen Case Studies
Introducing Direct Sponsored Content
Best Practices to Boost Performance
Anatomy of Successful Content
Key Takeaways
Questions?
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
5. Content Marketing is becoming one of the most
effective ways for brands to engage with professionals
#LinkedInContent
©2012 LinkedIn Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
5
78%
of B2B buyers start
their research with
online search
90%
of customers find
custom content
useful
67%
of prospect interaction
is occurring online,
shortening the sales
engagement
Sources: SiriusDecisions, kapost.com/content-marketing-facts LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
6. Members do much more on LinkedIn than job search
6X
#LinkedInContent
More engagement with
content vs jobs
BRANDS
3 MM Company Pages
Company Updates
THOUGHT
LEADERS
300+ Influencers
NEWS
1.3MM Publishers
LinkedIn Today
PEERS
1.5MM Groups
Connections
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LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
7. Sponsored Content is an effective channel at each
stage of the marketing funnel
#LinkedInContent
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Awareness & Interest KPIs
Reach by Segment*
Content Marketing Score*
Brand Impact Studies
* Metrics tracked and reported by LinkedIn
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
8. Sponsored Content is an effective channel at each
stage of the marketing funnel
#LinkedInContent
Consideration & Intent KPIs
Reach by Segment*
Click through rate*
Company visits
Page views/visit
Time spent on site
Bounce Rate
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* Metrics tracked and reported by LinkedIn
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
9. Sponsored Content is an effective channel at each
stage of the marketing funnel
#LinkedInContent
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Evaluation/Purchase KPIs
Clicks by Audience *
Click through rate*
Cost per click*
Conversions
Cost per lead
* Metrics tracked and reported by LinkedIn
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
10. Sponsored Content is an effective channel at each
stage of the marketing funnel
#LinkedInContent
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Loyalty & Advocacy KPIs
Shares*
Likes*
Company page follows*
* Metrics tracked and reported by LinkedIn
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
11. #LinkedInContent
Is your content aligned to
content marketing goals?
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
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12. Define your KPIs up front to optimize Keep it consistent
Are you looking for engagement on LinkedIn? Organic + Sponsored
Growth in website traffic? Organic: 20-30 per month
Maximizing your reach within your target audience? Sponsored: 2-4 per week
#LinkedInContent
Pick winner content
Tap into emotion, aim to inspire
Best practice guides, industry trends, inside looks at your company
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Branding & Thought Leadership
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
13. Use a concise headline Pick winner content
with a clear call to action Case studies, analyst reports,
Highlight speakers, value of content eBooks, events, announcements
Make sure your landing Make it timely
page is optimized If you have an event to promote,
For viewing content set your campaign live at least 4-6
For capturing leads effectively weeks before the event
#LinkedInContent
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Lead Generation
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
14. #LinkedInContent
Case Study: Adobe
Sponsored Updates for Branding
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Results
• 50% more likely to agree that “Adobe is
shaping the future of digital marketing”
• 2.5x more likely to agree that Adobe’s
Sponsored Updates “captured their attention”
“With the ability to
target specific audiences with relevant and
contextual content, Sponsored Updates
allowed us to reach the right
audience on the right channel, ultimately
helping to move the needle on a primary
objective – to inform and educate
marketers that Adobe is an industry leader
in providing digital marketing solutions.”
-- Adobe
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
15. #LinkedInContent
Case Study: Capgemini & Newscred
Sponsored Updates for Thought Leadership
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69%
LinkedIn
Shares
100,000
new
followers
“…The engagement has been
unprecedented—nothing they had ever seen
using traditional B2B marketing campaigns.
Sponsored updates on LinkedIn have an
engagement rate of 1.76%, which translates
to over 3,000 new followers each week on
their company page…”
-- Newscred
Results
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
16. #LinkedInContent
Case Study: HubSpot
Sponsored Updates for Lead Generation
Results
• 400% more leads within their target
audience than on other platforms
"We have seen very high quality leads
coming in from our sponsored updates on
LinkedIn. Not only can we target the
audience we want to, we can promote our
best performing content. “
-- HubSpot
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LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
18. Target audiences in the feed without publishing on
your Company Page with Direct Sponsored Content
#LinkedInContent
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
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Personalize
Customize your message
to target each audience
Test
Variations of your content
Control
What gets published
on your Company Page
19. With Direct Sponsored Content, you can test what
works to boost performance
#LinkedInContent
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
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Test your intro message
Test your image
Test your teaser text
Test your headline
20. Content marketing is both an art and science:
Take the guess work out of performance by testing
#LinkedInContent
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
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Can you
guess which
one is a
winner?
21. #LinkedInContent
Here are some best practices to incorporate
into your content strategy
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
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23. #LinkedInContent
BBVA Compass
Industry: Financial Services
Best Practices &
Observations:
Image & mentions
of recognized biz
personalities
Includes thought
provoking question
at start
Uses numbers (12
Successful…)
Professional
development
related
Co-branding/
licensing
from reputable third
party
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
24. #LinkedInContent
Dell
Industry: Technology
Best Practices &
Observations:
Include eye catching
image
Uses “You” early to
connect with the reader
(If you’re ever…)
Offers value/advice to
traveling professionals
CTA to encourage
further reading
Owned destination is
optimized for social
sharing & engagement
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
25. #LinkedInContent
Dell
Industry: Technology
Best Practices &
Observations:
Image & mentions of
recognized biz
personality
Related to an
exclusive event
Relevant to
professionals
(inspiring talk on
taking risks)
CTA to click for more
Drives to owned
destination for
additional
consumption
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
26. #LinkedInContent
Allstate
Industry: Financial Services
Best Practices &
Observations:
Unique & revealing
content on an
interesting subject
Practical benefit of
reading
Image catches your
attention
Relevant to AllState’s
biz & customers (Auto
Insurance)
Subtle visual branding
Owned content hub is
rich with content &
great UX
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
27. #LinkedInContent
Citi
Industry: Financial Services
Best Practices &
Observations:
Start with a question
Use “You”
Use a stat or figure
Thumbnail image
conveys topic
Snackable (3 Tricks…)
for the busy
professional
Explains what’s in it
for them: “Improving
your body language
can lead to significant
biz success…”
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
28. #LinkedInContent
Cybercoders
Industry: Professional Services
Best Practices &
Observations:
Explicit call out of their
target audience in
content (CTO)
Very succinct – 75
characters
Directs the reader to
action
Image includes a
human face with
relevant quizzical
expression
Uses numbered list in
link headline
Teases the post
description
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
30. STEP 4: Optimize your landing page design for marketing
goals: mobile, social and easy to capture leads.
#LinkedInContent
Key Takeaways to Drive Success:
STEP 1: Choose content that best suits your
marketing objectives.
STEP 2: Utilize Direct Sponsored Content to remove
the guesswork and A/B test your way to success.
STEP 3: Create your copy with the audience in mind.
Personalize to make your content most relevant.
LinkedIn Confidential ©2014 All Rights Reserved
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